UP is the murder capital of India!

Uttar Pradesh is the ‘murder capital’ of India. Not only this, the state is also No.1 in terms of kidnappings, robberies and dowry deaths, as per the National Crime Research Bureau’s (NCRB) data.

The state retained its top position in violent crimes for the third consecutive year in 2012. A total of 33,824 incidents were reported in the state in 2012, which included 4,966 murders, 8,878 kidnappings, 3,159 robberies, 2,244 dowry deaths along with other major crimes, revealed NCRB’s data.

UP was ranked first even in 2011 and 2010, with at least 32,987 and 27,225 cases of violent crimes, respectively.

What has been alarming is the upward movement of the crime graph that has placed UP atop the list leaving behind Bihar that was earlier the ‘leader’. “The crime graph shows that the criminals in UP are not scared. And why would they be? The state lacks stringent punishments for mischief mongers and they continue to move freely,” said Madhu Garg, a social activist. She recounted several cases where offenders are roaming freely years after committing the crime.

Predictably, people of all age groups indulged in violent crimes, said the study. In 2012 alone, those above 50 years committed around 10.7% of the crimes, those between 18-30 years committed 46% of them while 15% of the total offenders were women.

“The state authorities will have to wake up from their slumber and do something to improve the law and order situation in the state. Stern action against offenders can alone help bring down the crime rate. Education also needs to be upgraded to inculcate values among people,” said a research scholar at Lucknow University.